This particular choice has always been hard. I've enjoyed a lot of books, fascinated by a lot as well. Some of them made me cry, some left me in awe, some shook me hard. But there can be only a select few in the top list and I tend to favor books that had some personal impact on me, rather than how great the book is. Well, usually the books are also great but I tend to prioritize my reasons more, hehe!
#5 Therese Raquin by Emile Zola
I didn't think I'd put it in my top list when I read it last May. Since then over the past months, I've gone over the premise in my mind many times. The book is unsettling and nauseating. It captivated me with the carefully enacted story plots that kept me in excruciating agony! If you're interested, you can read my review of it on hive. - https://peakd.com/hive-114105/@notacinephile/emile-zola-therese-raquin
#4 Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco
Rhinoceros, on the other hand, is intellectually stimulus. The book questions a seemingly inevitable social status that people take on to avoid guilt, blame and self-destruction.
It's written from this perspective—the world goes haywire when good men don't do anything to stop the evil. It was quite hilarious too. My review on hive - https://peakd.com/hive-114105/@notacinephile/literary-classics-03-rhinoceros-eugene-ionesco-s-theater-of-the-absurd
#3 Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu
If I didn't read this book this year, Jared Diamonds Guns, Germs, Steel would certainly make the list. Acemoglu's Why Nations Fail is a favorite non-fiction book that tried (and succeeded) to unify political and economical understanding of the entire world—irrespective of geographical bounds. The book changed my worldview in a way. I think every concerned human being should read it.
My review on hive - https://peakd.com/hive-167922/@notacinephile/what-i-ve-learned-from-why-nations-fail-a-popular-non-fiction-book-on-economics-and-politics
#2 Conquest of the Useless by Werner Herzog
I am influenced by Werner Herzog and he's also the advocate who pushed me to literature to dig deep and see the shapes of storytelling. It was inevitable I'd find my way to his books and there was a good chance I'd love what's there. Herzog's worldview is as influential as his films are. The book is a marvel of non-fiction. It's written with fine prose you only see in literary narrative fiction.
Also reviewed it here - https://peakd.com/hive-114105/@notacinephile/conquest-of-the-useless-by-werner-herzog
#1 Der Golem by Gustav Meyrink
This book has been a pleasant surprise for me. The author is of a high caliber, yet, he's not that renowned among his contemporaries like Kafka. Der Golem took me through a perilous journey of introspection and the feeling of longing I'm fascinated with.
Here's the review - https://peakd.com/hive-190212/@notacinephile/der-golem-1914-by-gustav-meyrink
Alright, so that was it. If you've read any of the books on this list, feel free to let me know. If you haven't and found any book you might want to read, do let me know. Thanks for reading. :)
About Me
Twitter - https://twitter.com/not_a_c1nephile
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg3TwYk--HKIsRmnvhob1Mg
Alas, that perfect blog post. Lol.
Its a post I have wanted to write but I have being lazy and not being able to bring myself to write it.
Nonetheless, your list is quite fascinating, even more so that you wrote a review on the books.
Herzog, I'd like to read. Because you pick a fancy in him of course and you have great taste, and also Because I be one lad that be trying to learn about storytelling and tell good and better stores.
Your blog post never fails to fascinate me.
Happy new year mate.
Hey @stevenson7, Hive Book club is currently organizing a book review contest with total prize of 65 hive. If you are interested, here's the detail.
https://hive.blog/hive-180164/@macchiata/january-book-review-contest-or-65-hive-prize
Oh nice, I'm so in.
Thank You
Thanks mate! You should write, it would be interesting to read more blogs on books. :)
Yeah, it looks like I've wrote a lot of reviews in my time on hive. Then again, that's what I want to do. I hardly do anything else here.
It's great that you want to read Herzog. I'm sure you'll enjoy him.
Certain I will, thanks man.
Hi notacinephile,
Visit curiehive.com or join the Curie Discord community to learn more.
Thanks! :)
I got to read why nations fail!
It's a great read! I'm sure you'll love it! :)
I haven't read your book reviews on these five books. Makes me think again that I've gone for too long. Haha! Anyway, I would definitely add these to my To-Read List. Most of my reads are thriller, mystery, and poetry, and taking a left-turn is not bad. So yeah, will try to read your book recommendations. 😊